With Suryakumar Yadav all set to be removed as the captain of the Indian T20I side, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra took centre stage and talked about who could replace the ace batter in the role going forward.
New Delhi:
Recent reports have suggested that ace batter Suryakumar Yadav’s time with the Indian team is coming to an end. After consistent subpar performances in the format and a dreadful IPL season, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) seems to have run out of patience and could exclude Suryakumar Yadav from India’s T20I squad going forward.
With the growing feeling that the time for Suryakumar Yadav might be up, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra came forward and talked about who could take up the mantle for the side when Suryakumar Yadav eventually leaves the role, and he was quick to brand Shreyas Iyer as the Men in Blue’s next T20I captain.
"If he isn't there, and you are looking towards someone else, my vote will be for Shreyas Iyer. Make him a part of the Indian team. Bring him in the middle order. Bring Rajat Patidar along with him as well, but I see the captaincy on Shreyas Iyer's shoulders because he has got the experience," Aakash Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.
"He has performed incredibly in white-ball cricket. He is very, very good. He is the only player in the world to score more than 500 runs in a World Cup while batting at No. 4. So he is a performer,” he observed.
Also Read: Why is Suryakumar Yadav's future as India captain in turmoil despite winning T20 World Cup 2026?
Suryakumar Yadav struggled throughout IPL 2026
Fans had great expectations from Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2026, with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, and many other stars in the squad; many backed MI to win the title as well.
However, the side became one of the first teams to be knocked out of the tournament, and Surya was at the forefront of the collapse. In the 13 matches that he played, the star batter only managed to score 270 runs to his name, maintaining an average of 20.76 runs and a strike rate of 147.54. He only scored two half-centuries throughout the season and was at the centre of the struggle for five-time champions Mumbai Indians.
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